Collingwood's smart trading, Brisbane's draft sweet spot: Breaking down how each 2023 AFL Grand Final side was built

We’ve looked at how the Magpies and Lions used trade, draft, free agency and other mechanisms to construct their squads.

Mitch Keating

EDITOR | September 27, 2023 - 5:59pm

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Whether it's been through the draft, trade, free agency or other mechanisms to build their lists, the paths Collingwood and Brisbane have taken in their list calls and recruitment has led to this weekend's meeting on the biggest of stages.

Father-son selections are set to play a significant part for the Magpies, who have also looked to the Rookie Draft for key assets in their list build. But it might be their shrewd trading over the past decade that has best set this side up for a chance at a premiership on Saturday.

A majority of Brisbane's star names find themselves in line for a flag after moving on from their initial clubs, while a 'sweet spot' in the draft could have a large impact on Brisbane's chances of claiming their first grand final win in 20 years.

Below we've broken down how each side's list has come together over the years to shape an enticing grand final matchup.

Collingwood

Through smart trading, finding Rookie Draft gems or continuing the legacy of club greats, Collingwood has built a list that is reaching a peak in 2023.

Three of the Magies' most important players joined the club as father-son selections, with the dangerous duo of Josh and Nick Daicos extending the magic their father Peter provided through the '80s and '90s.

Captain Darcy Moore has followed in his father's footsteps to lead the Magpies from the front and will be hoping to do what his old man couldn't in winning a premiership for the black and white.

Moore was also one of three crucial draft selections from the 2014 count that have shaped the club's past decade, with Picks 5 and 30 nabbing the Magpies Jordan De Goey and Brayden Maynard.

That same off-season saw Collingwood add Jack Crisp through a trade with this week's grand final opponents as Dayne Beams bid farewell to Magpies, with the selection that landed the Magpies De Goey also involved in the deal.

A further eight players have landed on Collingwood's list through trading, with Jamie Elliott (pre-listed with GWS), Jeremy Howe (Melbourne) and Darcy Cameron (Sydney) among their most fruitful moves.

GOLD COAST, AUSTRALIA - JULY 21: Jack Crisp of the Lions competes for the ball during the round 17 AFL match between the Gold Coast Suns and the Brisbane Lions at Metricon Stadium on July 21, 2012 on the Gold Coast, Australia. (Photo by Matt Roberts/Getty Images)

The Rookie Draft has been a pool for Collingwood to find diamonds in the rough, with 100-game American pickup Mason Cox, fan favourite Jack Ginnivan and mature-aged forward Brody Mihocek each finding their way to Olympic Park after being overlooked through other means.

Their sole free agency acquisition, Dan McStay, won't play on Saturday as one of two unfortunate absences for the Magpies, joining 2013 trade acquisition Taylor Adams.

Outside of McStay, the Magpies' four other experienced recruits from the past 12 months are likely to face the Lions in the grand final, with no journey matching that of Oleg Markov's after he was delisted by the Suns this time last year.

Draft

National Draft
Scott Pendlebury - Pick 5 (2005)
Steele Sidebottom - Pick 11 (2008)
Jordan De Goey - Pick 5 (2014)
Darcy Moore - Pick 9* (2014)
Brayden Maynard - Pick 30 (2014)
Josh Daicos - Pick 57* (2016)
Nathan Murphy - Pick 39 (2017)
Isaac Quaynor - Pick 13* (2018)
Beau McCreery - Pick 44 (2020)
Nick Daicos - Pick 4* (2021)

Rookie Draft
Mason Cox - Pick 60 (2014)
Brody Mihocek - Pick 22 (2017)
Jack Ginnivan - Pick 13 (2020)

Trade

Jamie Elliott - GWS (2011, pre-listed and traded)
Jack Crisp - Brisbane (2014)
Jeremy Howe - Melbourne (2015)
Will Hoskin-Elliott - GWS (2016)
Darcy Cameron - Sydney (2019)
Patrick Lipinski - Western Bulldogs (2021)
Bobby Hill - GWS (2022)
Tom Mitchell - Hawthorn (2022)
Billy Frampton - Adelaide (2022)

Free Agency

N/A

Other

Oleg Markov - SSP (2023)

Brisbane

Much of the Lions' top line of stars have come to Brisbane from other clubs through trade or free agency mechanisms, with both avenues to see a total of eight players line up on grand final day after moving clubs.

Among this crop is dual Brownlow Medal winner Lachie Neale, forward duo Charlie Cameron and Joe Daniher, midfield ace Josh Dunkley and ex-skipper Dayne Zorko, who was traded to the Lions from the Suns after being pre-listed as a Queensland zone selection.

Zorko isn't alone in having crossed from the Suns to their state rivals, with utility Callum Ah Chee having been traded to the Lions in 2019, while a year prior Jarryd Lyons was swooped on by Brisbane after being cut by Gold Coast despite having a year remaining on his contract.

The National Draft has seen the Lions heavily rely on their top selections to build their first-string side for 2023, with Academy selection Harris Andrews the only player in line to feature on Saturday that was taken outside of the top 37 selections.

Atop that list is 2017 Pick 1 selection Cam Rayner, while Hugh McCluggage is the Lions' only other top 10 selection, having also made the venture north from Victoria 12 months prior to Rayner.

SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA - NOVEMBER 25: Brisbane Lions head coach Chris Fagan poses with the number three draft pick Hugh McCluggage of the Brisbane Lions during the 2016 AFL Draft at Hordern Pavilion on November 25, 2016 in Sydney, Australia. (Photo by Mark Metcalfe/Getty Images)

Eric Hipwood, Jarrod Berry, Zac Bailey, Brandon Starcevich, Darcy Wilmot and Jaspa Fletcher were all taken between Picks 12-18 in what has shaped as a sweet spot in the National Draft for the Lions.

Fletcher is the Lions' sole father-son addition, while Andrews and Keidean Coleman both linked up with Brisbane as Academy graduates.

Former Bomber Conor McKenna has taken a route like no other to get to this moment, having departed Essendon three years ago in a return to Ireland before making his comeback through the pre-season Supplemental Selection Period.